This advice is for the Kenmore Elite and Whirlpool Duet FRONT LOADER style washing machines.A lot of concerns have been raised about door bellows molding, mildewing, and/or ripping and needing replaced.A replacement bellow costs about $75-80 and is not too difficult to replace. Hopefully these helpful steps will eliminate the need to call a repair service and pay the additional labor charges.Just follow these steps:1. Unplug the washer.2. Remove the washer top panel by removing the three torx-type screws (or 7mm) where it attaches in the rear of the washer. The panel should slide back, and then lift off.3. Remove the operator console by removing the dispenser and the scew(s) behind it. Take a putty knife and insert it under the console seam right above the door. If you push in slightly while pulling outwards the panel pops off. Use care not to pull or damage any of the wiring. You can leave the wires attached and simply lay the console across the top of the washer out of the way.4. Locate the wire hoop retainer around the rubber door boot. It is located behind the rubber seam where it attaches to the door frame. Follow this hoop around to the bottom of the door opening and locate the wire tension spring. Gently pry this spring apart and pull the wire hoop from the groove. Pull the rubber boot from the frame and push it inside towards the wash tub. You will also have to remove the door boot from the fill tube on the left hand side of the door opening. There is a small wire clamp holding it in place.5. Remove the three screws that hold the door latch assembly in place. This is on the right hand side of the door opening. You can leave the latch in place as long as you remove the screws and push it inside slightly to remove it from the front casing of the washer.6. Remove the door by removing the screws holding the hinges in place. Use care to support the door hinges when loosening. They can bend. Set the door aside in a location where it will not get stepped on or broken.7. Remove the lower kick panel under the door. There are 3 screws under the bottom edge holding it in place. Sometimes the panel can stick. A slight tap on either side will knock it free.8. Remove the front washer casing by removing the four remaining screws that are holding it in place. There should be two at the top and two at the bottom. Set the front casing aside.9. Remove the old door boot by locating the large clamp that attaches it to the wash tub. Loosen the 7mm nut and the boot will detach from the tub.Also remove the boot from the fill tube coming from the dispenser.10. Install new door boot on the wash tub and install clamp. There should be instructions that come with the door boot with guide marks to ensure you align it correctly. Once you have the boot in place, tighten the clamp enough to where it is snug. DO NOT over-tighten or you may damage the tub and or clamp. In most cases the clamp will break.11. Once you have the boot in place, re-install everything in the reverse order of how I explained to disassemble. Make sure you connect the door latch assembly BEFORE you re-install the outer portion of the door boot. Also, make sure you install the boot completely over the fill tube. There should be a ridge on the tube where to stop.Sometimes the tube is not inserted all way into the boot and water will leak behind it. The clamp is always difficult to get back in place.If you cannot get the clamp to go back over the tube, you can live without it. Some newer models do not have them installed. Just make sure it is a snug fit where the rubber boot fits ALL the way back to the plastic ridge on the tube.12. When you get the point where you are ready to install the door boot back over the frame of the door opening ensure you fit it snugly all the way around the door. Beginning at the top of the door, start inserting the wire hoop back into the groove. Make sure to wire spring points towards the bottom. As you work your way around the door to the 4 and 8 o'clock positions, you will need to maintain some constant downward pressure while pulling the spring apart in order to snap it back into place. It would be advisable to use a second set of hands to hold the wire hoop in place while doing this as it has the tendency to want to come out of the groove.13. Once the door boot is back in place, re-install the operator console and washer top.14. At the operator console, select DRAIN SPIN, NO SPIN and press any button under OPTIONS 4 times (has to be the same button, though). This will place the washer in diagnostics mode. You should hear the door latch lock and "C00" will be displayed on the console. The washer will run through a series of tests filling the tub, tumbling, draining, and then a final spin. If you do not wish to wait for the test to complete you can press CANCEL at any time. The test checks out everything and takes about 15 minutes. Look for any leaks.

I hope you find these instructions helpful and good luck to you.Post back if you have any questions.

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Related Questions:

If the washer is leaking water the front door boot seal might have a tear or rip and is letting water leak past. The boot seal can be replaced. This part can tear when the washer is overloaded. This is common repair.
Manufacturer Part Number 4986ER0004G

Tub Seal and Bearing Kit

If the washer is leaking water the tub seal
and bearing might have a tear or rip and is letting water leak past. The
tub seal and bearing can be replaced. This is common and relatively
easy to replace.

Tub Seal Kit

If the washer is leaking water the tub seal
might have a tear or rip and is letting water leak past. The tub seal
can be replaced. The tub bearing often gets damaged when the seal leaks.
consider replacing the tub bearing along with the tub seal.

Tub Seal

If the washer is leaking water the tub seal
might have a tear or rip and is letting water leak past. The tub seal
can be replaced. When the tub seal fails water gets into the tub
bearings and usually causes the bearings to go bad also. It is a good
idea to replace the tub bearings with the new tub seal.

Door Boot Seal

If the washer is leaking water the front door
boot seal might have a tear or rip and is letting water leak past. The
boot seal can be replaced. This part can tear when the washer is
overloaded. This is common repair.

Tub to Pump Hose

If the washer is leaking water the hose from
the tub to the pump might be split or torn. Don't try to cut off the bad
piece of hose and stretch it to fit the pump, this will put strain on
the remainder of the hose and may cause a sudden and complete failure of
the hose which will dump potentially hundreds or thousands of gallons
of water onto the floor because the next time the washer tries to fill
all of the water will end up on the floor and so the washer will never
shut off the valve. Any time there is a damaged hose, replace it
completely with the OEM part.

Washing Machine Fill Hose

If the washer is leaking water, check the
fill hoses on the back of the washer, this is the most common place for
water to leak. If the washer still has the original black rubber fill
hoses replace them with stainless steel or some other, more durable
hose.

Drain Hose

If the washer is leaking water check the
drain hose. The most common places for the hose to spring a leak is from
the connection to the pump out to the back of the washer. Another
common occurrence is when the washer gets pushed too far back against
the wall.

Try to identify roughly the area the leak is coming from. This will eleminate some of the following

Hose Connections
Check the rubber washers or replace if the hoses are leaking at the water inlet valve.

Door Seal
This is a common place for leaks. Carefully check by partially pulling
seal inside out and check for punctures, pens, pencils... Additionaly if
the door is not closing properly it may need a door adjustment. This
can easily be done by loosening the hinge bolts on the front panel,
adjusting and retighten. The seal is also known to get lightly snagged
by zippers or rub by heavy items when close are being removed. This
tends to cause the seal to get damaged at the six o'clock position. This
is sometimes hardly noticeable but if it is leaking from the bottom of
the door replace the door seal.

Water Inlet Valve
If the hose connections are good to the water inlet valve check that water is not leaking from the valve itself it is replace the water inlet valve.

Drain Pump
Check the drain pump housing and all hose connections. The drain pump is
behind the lower panel, behind the back panel, and sometimes removal of
the front panel. Hoses can be tightened. If hoses or pump housing is
leaking replace the pump assembly.

Outer Drum
The outer drum is 2 halves bolted together some washers have a seal
between others do not. If the washer is leaking between the seems
disassembly of the washer will be necessary. The top panel, console,
front panel, door seal, struts. Follow the video for the strut replacement and remove the top springs and the inner and outer drum will pull out the front.

your drum bearings have gotten water in them due to a bad lip seal on the back side of the inner drum,if you can buy the bearings and lipseal you can tear it down and replace these rusty noisy bearings,and leaking seal

most likely you have a hole in the boot seal,the rubber piece in between the door and the tub,also open the door and wipe the bottom part of the door on the plastic window,i've found pieces of hair there and the water travels down the hair and leaks through the door.if that's clean you have a hole in the boot seal,open the door,spread the rubber boot open and with you fingers feel all around the rubber boot

you will have to replace the boot glove as this is what i think you mean,the part were the door fits into,if there is a rip in this rubber boot then water will leak through teribly,the round wire you refer to is the wire that goes around the boot to hold this securely to the washer preventing it from leaking,hope this helps,rgrds,paul